Method and system for calculating and integrating cooking times into meal planning and preparation

ABSTRACT

A method and system for calculating grilling timelines and parameters for specific items to be cooked on a grill includes presenting to a user an input screen and means for inputting grilling planning assumptions. Information about items to be grilled includes default grilling time, doneness factor, thickness factor, cut of meat factor and refrigerator factor as normalized values. A grilling timeline is calculated running the information through a summing function to result in a calculated grilling time per side value which is then output and displayed to the user.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is related to and claims priority to provisionalapplication Ser. No. 60/652,208 filed May 19, 2005 to which priority isclaimed, and the disclosure of which is specifically incorporated byreference herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a method and system for calculating grillingtimes for specific items to be grilled. More specifically, the inventionrelates to a method and system for determining and providing completeinstructions and timelines allowing integration of grilling events intomeal planning and preparation related to a cookout as a whole.

2. Discussions of Background Art

According to the latest statistics compiled by the Hearth, Patio &Barbecue Association (2001), 3 out of 4, or 76%, of US households own abarbecue grill. 66,200,000 individuals have barbecued in the past year(*). The typical grill owner owns 1.4 grills. Although men are morelikely (66%) than women to be the household member who barbecues, womenare more apt to decide when and what foods to be barbecued. 58% ofgrills are used all year round. The Fourth of July is by far the mostpopular holiday for barbecuing, with 3 out of 4 (76%) grill ownersbarbecuing, followed by Memorial Day (58%) and Labor Day (51%).Hamburgers, steak, hot dogs, and chicken breast are the most frequentlybarbecued food items. (*) American Demographics, May 2000. All otherinformation from Barbecue Industry Association 2001 Barbecue LifestyleUsage & Attitude Study or HPBA Barbecue Industry Statistics.

Recognized cooking expert, Shirley O. Corriher in her book CookWise (p.396) writes, “There are many variables in grilling—the temperature ofthe coals, whether the meat is directly over the coals or to the side,and so on—and there can be considerable differences in oven broilers.Only trial and error and experience will give you the expertise to getthe steak on your grill or under your broiler exactly as you want it.”

A magazine ad headline for the Weber Performer Grill proclaims, “Thissummer, men will spend over two billion hours grilling. Andapproximately one billion hours making excuses for the results.”

Many experts (government entities, trade associations, publishers ofrecipes and cookbooks, etc.) offer general grilling guidelines forparticular cuts of meat, thickness and doneness such as “4-5 minutes perside for medium rare.” However they leave it to the backyard chef tomake any necessary adjustments required because of factors such as thetype of grill (charcoal or gas), whether it is covered or uncovered, thetype and temperature of the fire, weather conditions, the density of thecuts of meat being grilled, doneness preferences other than medium rare,and the like.

As a consequence, the average backyard chef is pretty much left on theirown, typically resorting to inexact techniques such as moving items todifferent temperature zones on the grill, taking some items off of thegrill prematurely in order to allow other items to cook longer, etc.,often with undesirable, unpredictable and inconsistent results.

Devices such as quick-read thermometers and timers can prove effectivewhen there is only one item to grill, or when all items are virtuallyidentical in their cooking characteristics.

But a remarkably few variables, such as differences in the thickness ofindividual steaks, differences in the desired doneness, weatherconditions or cooking temperature, can invoke the conventional trial anderror tactics, and traditional excuses for the results described above.

The present invention allows backyard chefs to achieve the desiredcooking result for a multitude of grilled items, independent of thegriller's type of grill or grills, their grilling location, previousgrilling skill, experience or expertise. Further, the invention enhancesmeal planning and preparation by allowing the user to store relevantdetails about their grill, as well as frequently grilled items forfuture use.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Even though cooking out is a favorite past time for many, it offers anumber of inherent risks. Many a cookout has been dampened by steaks,hamburgers and other foods that were undercooked, overcooked, not servedat the desired doneness or arrived at the dinner table cold or out ofsequence with the other items on the menu. There can also be significantfinancial risk, as it is not uncommon for the cost of meat for areasonably sized cookout to cost $50-$100.

Cookouts, by their very nature, tend to be social events. A gathering offriends, family, business associates and the like, whether like it ornot, the backyard chef is held accountable for much of the success ofthis social experience. While some cookouts are highly structured events(for example, dinner at 6 PM), others are triggered by the instructionto start the grill (and frequently followed by the question “How soonuntil we can eat?”).

Over time some backyard chefs may learn the cooking characteristics oftheir grill, mostly by trial and error, and by potentially costlyexperiments with various types of foods. But for others, items areplaced on the grill with little more than the best of intentions andhope for a successful outcome.

The current invention provides backyard chefs, regardless of their typeof grill, outdoor grilling experience and proficiency, with a method andsystem for calculating grilling times for the specific items to begrilled, along with complete instructions and timelines for integratingthese grilling events into the meal planning and preparation for thecookout event as a whole.

Thus, in one aspect the invention relates to a method of calculatinggrilling times and parameters for specific items to be cooked on agrill. The method involves presenting to a user an input screen andmeans for inputting grilling planning assumptions such as a screen pen,etc., as will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art.Information is input about items to be grilled including at least adefault grilling time, doneness factor, thickness factor, cut of meatfactor and refrigerator factor as normalized values.

For specifics about the different factors reference is made to thedetailed disclosure herein and in particular when made with reference tothe specific function described making reference to the various factors.

The grilling time is calculated by inputting the information asnormalized values into a summing function to result in a calculatedgrilling time per side value. The calculated grilling time per sidevalue is then output to the user.

In another aspect, the invention relates to a system for calculatinggrilling times and parameters for specific items to be cooked on agrill. A user input screen serves to allow a user to input grillingplanning assumptions through the screen. Input means such as a pen,mouse, etc., serves to input through the screen or similar or equivalenthardware/software information about items to be grilled, including atleast the default grilling time, doneness factor, thickness factor, cutof meat factor and refrigerator factor as normalized values. Processingmeans such as a computer with a CPU, e.g., a server, is programmed forhaving the information input thereto and for calculating a grillingtimeline from the information as normalized values through a summingfunction to result in a calculated grilling time per side value. Meanssuch as a printer or display or the like is provided for providing anoutput to a user indicative of a calculated grilling time per side.

In another aspect, both as to system and method, the information furthercomprises a grill type factor, grill cover factor, grill calibrationfactor, fire factor, and outside temperature factor. A summing functionfurther adds a base grill preparation time to the resulting calculatedgrilling time per side value.

In a specific aspect the input screen is located at a user device andthe information is transmitted to a central processor where the grillingtimeline is determined with the calculated grilling time per side valuebeing transmitted back to the user screen. A grilling time per side, ina preferred aspect, includes a grilling timeline in a countdown modewherein event times are indicated at specific intervals for a user totake specific actions when conducting grilling. In a yet more specificaspect, the cut of meat factor is indicative of different types of meatincluding at least one of pork, beef, fish and fowl.

Yet still further, the input of grilling planning assumptions isconducted at a personal device connected to a server, where the servercalculates the grilling timeline from information received from thepersonal device. The personal device may be a personal computer and theconnection to the server may be a least one of through a wired networkand wireless. Alternatively, the personal device is a PDA. In a yetstill further alternative aspect, the personal device is a cellulartelephone programmed to input the assumptions and to receive thegrilling timeline and display it.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIOUS VIEWS OF DRAWING

FIGS. 1-3 provide an overview of the web browser user interface and theprimary functionality of the system.

FIGS. 4-5 show some of the adaptive features of the user experience andhow individual items are added to the grilling list.

FIGS. 6-10 show additional features of the adaptive user experience andhow multiple items are added to the grilling list.

FIGS. 11-13 show additional features of the adaptive user experience andentering grilling items based on the type of food to be grilled.

FIG. 14 shows how the system has the capability to conditionally deliverwarnings and relevant context-sensitive functionality.

FIGS. 15-16 show how a group of identical items are added to thegrilling list, and how the group is treated on the resulting grillingtimeline.

FIGS. 17-23 show how grilling lists can be quickly created from list offavorite stored cookouts and individually stored grilling items.

FIGS. 24-25 show individual screen elements for the What's Grilling taband Grilling Timeline tab, respectively.

FIG. 26 shows the dynamic addition of the Fridge Factor.

FIG. 27 provides a table of the Grilling Timeline Factors, including adescription, default value and abbreviation for each factor.

FIG. 28 illustrates the database table settings that determine thevarious grilling factor values that are used by the cookout calculator.

FIG. 29 illustrates an exemplary process flow of the system.

FIG. 30 provides an exemplary system diagram.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The current invention can deliver the services it provides through avariety of devices, including by not limited to, an Internet webbrowser, a PDA (personal digital assistant) a text message orgraphically enabled cell phone and a conventional printer. The currentembodiment will describe the system in the context of the backyard chefaccessing the system via an Internet connection and web browser, thenoutputting the resulting timeline and cooking instructions to a printer.

System Description

In the preferred embodiment, the system utilizes input from the user,data from external sources and a proprietary cookout calculationalgorithm to create a cookout. This cookout is comprised of 1) thecookout time, 2) information about the user's grill, 3) weatherconditions at grilling time, 4) a detailed list of items to be grilledand 5) a timeline calculated by the system that includes specificgrilling instructions for the cookout which the user can then print. Inaddition, in a preferred embodiment, the system stores information suchas the user's location, grill dimensions and grill preparation time, andthe user may name and store grilled items or entire cookouts to recallfor future use, significantly increasing the convenience of creating newcookouts.

System Diagram

A general diagram of an exemplary system of the invention is provided asFIG. 30. Users can connect to the system via the Internet 506 or othernetwork, wired or wireless, using, for example, a personal computer 508and a standard web browser. The system resides on a standard server 502,and is connected to a standard database 504. This server 502 serves upthe web pages requested by the user, stores and retrieves informationfrom the database and performs the calculations requested by the system.Outputs from the system include, but are not limited to, cookoutprintouts that can be directed to any printer accessible to the user,and also the potential to download and run the cookout timelines in realtime on other devices 510 such as personal digital assistants (PDAs),cell phones, programmable timers, wireless devices and the like.

Process Flow

The system is designed to guide the user through a five-step processflow 402 as illustrated in FIG. 29. At the start 404, the user ispresented with the input screen 406. The user inputs the planningassumptions for the cookout 408, such as the date, cookout time,weather, the grill to be used, fire settings, grill preparation time andthe like.

Next, the user inputs information about the items to be grilled 410,including the type of meat, quantity, cut of meat, thickness, desireddoneness, and optionally, a name/description and preferences/notes foreach grilling item entry.

From the planning assumptions and grilling items input by the user, thesystem then calculates the grilling timeline for the cookout 412, takinginto consideration all of the inputs, factors and preferences specifiedby the user.

The system then generates a 414 printout or displays through variousavailable means an output that contains all of the planning assumptionsand grilling instructions for the cookout, which the user can then printor otherwise use.

User Experience

User Interface Overview

FIG. 1 provides an overview of the web browser user interface, which isdesigned to create a user experience where the system adapts to the userin real time, retaining the context of the user's activities whileproviding visual feedback, relevant instructions, reminders andappropriate warnings. In the process, the user creates a list of theitems to be grilled, which is displayed as the Grilling List. The useris then prompted to have the system calculate and display the grillingtimeline for the items in the grilling list.

The user interface is comprised of five primary components, each ofwhich will be described briefly here.

Heads-up display 104—This area of the user interface allows the user toenter and view basic information about the cookout such as a name forthe cookout, the date and time of the cookout, information about theuser's grill and weather conditions. The user's grill is displayedgraphically, to scale, and items added to the grilling list below alsoappear on the grill, visually representing the relative size, shape andcolor of the item to be grilled.

The user will have the capability to drag and drop items to a desiredlocation on the grill. Similarly, if an item on the grill is selected,it will display in the Grilling item workspace 116 where it can bemodified or removed from the grilling list.

Relevant information, such as the grill type, dimensions, firepreparation time and location of the user (ZIP Code) can be stored bythe system for future use.

Context-sensitive status line 108—The context-sensitive status linemonitors the entries made by the user, and provides 1) initial andcontinuing instructions for building the grilling list and creating thegrilling timeline, 2) prompts to complete the needed information forincomplete items on the grilling list and 3) instructions forrecalculating the grilling timeline.

Tab controls 112—The tab controls are activated once the user hascreated a grilling list and grilling timeline, allowing the user totoggle between the grilling list and grilling timeline to easily makeany necessary adjustments to the cookout.

Grilling item workspace 116—When the user selects the type of meat to begrilled from the Let's Grill drop down menu (i.e. beef, pork, chicken,etc.), the system adapts automatically, and the appropriate input fieldsand controls are displayed in the grilling item workspace. In theexample shown, selecting beef from the Let's Grill menu dynamicallydisplays data entry fields and controls for quantity, cut of meat,thickness, and desired doneness. In addition, the user is given theoption to enter a name or description as well as preferences or notesfor the grilling item.

When the Add to List button is clicked, the item is 1) placed on thegrill in the Heads-up display 104, and 2) added to the Grilling list120.

The user has the flexibility to add items in the Grilling item workspace116 in any manner desired, for example multiple steaks of the same typebut with varied thickness or desired doneness. The system will add theitems to the Heads-up display 104 and the Grilling list 120, designatingthe needed information that will be required before the grillingtimeline can be created. Examples of various Grilling item workspace 116entry techniques will be presented subsequently.

Individual Grilling item workspace 116 entries can be stored in aFavorites list for future use.

Grilling list 120—The grilling list displays the details for all itemsto be grilled during this cookout. If an individual item on the Grillinglist 120 is selected, it will display in the Grilling item workspace 116where it can be modified or removed from the grilling list.

The grilling list can be saved in progress, and stored in a Favoriteslist for future use.

When the grilling list is complete, the user creates the grillingtimeline by clicking the Create Timeline button.

FIG. 2 illustrates the result of the user clicking the Create Timelinebutton, which causes the system to 1) utilize the data collected byHeads-up display 104 and Grilling list 120 to 2) calculate the timing ofcooking events and display the results via a series of user selectabletimers on the Grilling timeline 204, along with specific grillinginstructions. Tab controls 112 indicate that the focus of the lowerportion of the screen has changed to the Grilling Timeline tab.

Grilling timeline 204—The primary purpose of the Grilling timeline 204is to display explicit instructions (Events) and the specific times atwhich all items on the Grilling list 120 will be put on the grill andturned so that all items can be taken off the grill at the same time,with each item cooked to the desired specification (rare, medium, mediumrare as shown in this example).

The user has the option to choose from a series of synchronized timers,each of which provides unique information in the context of the cookout.For example, if the user has selected in the Heads-up display 104 thatthe cookout will commence with starting the grill at 12:30 PM, allowingfor 20 minutes to prepare the fire for grilling, the Approximate Timewill reflect that dinner will be served at about 1:01 PM. The ElapsedGrilling Time (Stop Watch) provides instructions for the specific timesduring this 11 minute cooking timeline that various items will be placedon the grill and turned to achieve the desired results. The Countdown toNext Event timer tells the backyard chef how much time they have betweenrespective events to perform other tasks, such as offering guests abeverage of their choice. Similarly, the Grilling Time Remainingprovides a convenient way for the backyard chef to fulfill the spousalrequest to “let me know when we're ten minutes away from eating,”perform other tasks and manage the entire cookout with a standardcountdown timer, if desired or preferred.

If the user needs to make any adjustments to the Heads-up display 104elements, these can be performed and the user then simply clicks theRecalculate button to update the grilling timeline. In an alternativeembodiment, the system can detect any change that will require thetimeline to be recalculated, and perform the recalculationautomatically. Similarly, if the user needs to modify the grilling listin any way, the What's Grilling tab can be selected, changes can bemade, and the user simply selects the Create Timeline button to repeatthe process of creating the revised grilling timeline.

When the backyard chef is satisfied with the grilling list and grillingtimeline, the user clicks the Print Cookout button to obtain a printoutof the entire cookout (see FIG. 3).

Clicking the Print Cookout button generates the printable page shown inFIG. 3, which includes 1) the name of the cookout, 2) the graphicalrepresentation of the items to be cooked on the grill which can be movedto the desired location on the grill, 3) a summary of the grilling eventinformation, 4) the Grilling Timeline and 5) the Cookout Notes. In analternative embodiment, the system will assign the cookout a uniquereference number which appears on the cookout printout. This cookoutreference number can be used to recreate the cookout for user support,training and similar purposes.

Adaptive User Interface Features

As mentioned previously, the system adapts to the user in real time,retaining the context of the user's activities while providing visualfeedback, relevant instructions, reminders and appropriate warnings.These methods will be described in the figures and examples that follow.

Initial System Configuration

As the user begins to use the system, the system provides a number ofvisual prompts and cues for the necessary information, as well ascontext-sensitive instructions, as can be seen in FIG. 4.

The Context-sensitive status 108 line directs the user to “Select a mealtime and provide your grill and weather information above. Then beginentering what's grilling below.”

The Heads-up display 104 indicates that the user 1) has the option toname the cookout in the field provided, 2) can select a cookout date,time and whether the designated date and time are the desired time tostart the grill or eat, 3) must provide the grill type and whether it iscovered or uncovered, the type of fire and optionally include grillpreparation time, 4) must provide grill time weather information, eitherby entering the temperature manually or allowing the system to determinethe temperature based on the user's grilling location (ZIP Code).

If the user does not provide all required information for the Heads-updisplay 104 (such as the type of fire), or attempts to perform afunction that requires additional information (such as naming a cookoutthat is to be stored as a favorite or saved while in progress), the userwill be prompted to provide such required information as part of seriesof error handing routines should the user attempt to create the grillingtimeline. In an alternative embodiment, the system can default to themost likely settings and configuration parameters, while still allowingthe user to change these settings and configuration parameters.

The Grilling item workspace 116 allows the user great flexibility forentering and modifying information for individual or multiple grillingitems, as will be discussed. Use of the Name/Description andPreferences/Notes fields is optional.

Adding Individual Grilling List Items

This example shows the results of adding to the grilling list a singleNY strip steak, 1 inch thick, to be grilled rare with light salt andpepper for Lindsay (along with the appropriate cookout information inthe Heads-up display 104).

When the Add to List button in FIG. 4 is clicked, the steak for Lindsayis 1) placed on the grill in the Heads-up display 104, and 2) added tothe Grilling list 120, as shown in FIG. 5.

The Context-sensitive status line 108 now directs the user to “Continueadding items to your Grilling List. When your list is complete, clickthe Create Timeline button below.”

Adding Multiple Grilling List Items with Varied Characteristics

FIGS. 6-10 demonstrate the adaptive features of the user experience asmultiple steaks of the same cut and doneness, but with varied thicknessare added for Joe and Terry.

FIG. 6 illustrates the user inputting a quantity of 2 rib-eye steaks ofa varied thickness, but to be grilled to a doneness of medium rare.

When the user clicks the Add to List button (FIG. 7), the two rib-eyesteaks are 1) placed on the grill in the Heads-up display 104, and 2)added to the Grilling list 120. Since the user chose not to assign aname/description to either of these steaks, the system automaticallyassigns the designations Rib-eye [1] and Rib-eye [2], respectively.

Since the two rib-eye steaks are of varied thickness, the systemhighlights that additional information will be required for each steakby 1) displaying “Thick?” in red on the Heads-up display 104, 2)displaying “Need” in the thickness column of the Grilling list 120 and3) prompting the user to “PLEASE PROVIDE THE NEEDED INFO FOR THE ITEMINDICATED” on the Context-sensitive status line 108.

In this example the user will provide the required information forRib-eye [1], by clicking on it, either from the Heads-up display 104 orfrom the Grilling list 120 (FIG. 8). The selected Rib-eye steak isbrought back into the Grilling item workspace 116, with “Need” indicatedin the thickness column. The Update List button replaces the Add to Listbutton to reflect the user context. Similarly the Remove button isactivated to allow the user to remove the item from the item from thegrilling list, if desired.

As this scenario continues, the user selects the thickness of one inch,enters the name “Joe” and the preference “Garlic salt, pepper.” The userthen clicks the Update List button, the results of which are shown inFIG. 9.

Rib-eye [α]is renamed “Joe,” and the added information is reflected inboth the Heads-up display 104 and the Grilling list 120.

Similarly, the user will then provide the required information forRib-eye [2], by clicking on it, either from the Heads-up display 104 orfrom the Grilling list 120 to bring the selected Rib-Eye steak back intothe Grilling item workspace 116, where the thickness of 1.5″ will beselected, the name “Terry” assigned and the preference “Salt, heavypepper” will be entered. Then the user will again click the button toupdate the Grilling list (FIG. 10).

Since all required information has been provided, the Context-sensitivestatus line 108 reverts to instructing the user to “Continue addingitems to your Grilling List. When your list is complete, click theCreate Timeline button below.”

In an alternative embodiment, the system dynamically changes the defaultsettings for the cut of meat, based on the type of meat, and alsodynamically changes the respective default thickness and doneness basedon the cut of meat, eliminating the need to prompt the user for neededinformation.

FIGS. 11-16 demonstrate the adaptive features of the user experience inthe context of a July 4^(th) cookout where the user adds items to thegrilling list based on the characteristics of the types of food to begrilled, rather than by the individual preferences of the dinner guestsas depicted previously.

In this scenario, dinner will be served at 5 PM. The grilling list willbe comprised of 1) two sirloin steaks of identical thickness, but ofvaried desired doneness, 2) two flank steaks for fajitas with identicalgrilling specifications, but one seasoned mild and the other seasonedspicy, and 3) hamburgers for the kids.

The two sirloin steaks, 1.5″ thick but with a varied doneness are addedto the Grilling list using methods similar to the methods described inFIGS. 6-10. These steps are summarized in FIGS. 11-12.

FIG. 11 depicts how the system assigns a name to each steak (Sirloin [1]and Sirloin

and prompts the user to provide the needed information, in this case thedoneness, for each.

FIG. 12 illustrates that the user has selected each steak, assigned thedesired doneness for each and updated the Grilling list 120 accordingly,opting not to provide any additional information.

The next sequence, as culminated in FIG. 13, demonstrates the use of theName/Description entry field using the method for adding individualitems to the grilling list discussed in FIGS. 4-5. As each of the flanksteaks is added to the grilling list, the user designates which of thesteaks has been mildly seasoned, and which is spicy, in order to providea description that will be used for both grilling and serving purposes.

Warnings and Conditionally Delivered Information and Functionality

The system has the capability to provide context-sensitive warnings,recommendations and similar types of pre-emptive information, asillustrated in FIG. 14. The user will be adding six hamburgers of ahalf-inch thickness to the cookout. When the user selects Hamburgersfrom the Cut of Meat menu, the system 1) prominently displays warning“THE USDA RECOMMENDS A MINIMUM DONENESS OF MEDIUM (160° F.) FOR THIS CUTOF MEAT,” 2) automatically adjusts the options available in the Donenessmenu to medium or greater and 3) requires the user to invoke a specialmanual override method and confirm the selection of a range of donenessoutside of the USDA recommendations which will also appear on printoutsand downloads of the cookout.

Adding Multiple Grilling List Items with Identical Characteristics(Groups)

Since the user is adding six items (hamburgers), all of which areidentical in every other way (thickness, doneness, etc.), the systemautomatically treats these items as a group, as illustrated in FIG. 15.

When added to the grilling list, the Heads-up display 104 distinguishesthe Hamburgers as a group by 1) creating a highlight around the groupelements and 2) using a unique color (in this example blue) todifferentiate the group from the other items on the grill. The user cancontrol the group to rearrange the group items to a desired location onthe grilling surface. In an alternative embodiment, the group isgraphically represented as individual grilling items, each of which canbe rearranged on the grilling surface, but with individual referencelines that all point to the single descriptive callout.

This hamburgers group is also treated as such in the grillinginstructions provided on the grilling timeline, as illustrated in FIG.16 at the approximate time of 4:53 PM when the hamburgers are to be puton the grill.

It is also worth noting that since this scenario depicts a July 4^(th)Cookout where dinner is to be served at 5:00 PM, the backyard chef caneasily see from the grilling timeline that 1) the fire should be startedat approximately 4:13 PM, 2) the best opportunity to refresh the drinksof guests is immediately after putting on Sirloin [1], and 3) the spousewill need to alerted that “we're about ten minutes away . . . ” shortlybefore turning Sirloin [2].

Creating a Grilling List with Stored Favorites

As discussed previously, the system allows the user to store individualgrilling items or entire grilling lists as Favorites. These favoritescan then be recalled to quickly build grilling lists, as will bedemonstrated in FIGS. 17-23.

This scenario depicts having the Boss over for a cookout. The FavoriteFamily Steaks cookout was previously stored by the system, as were thepreferences/notes for the Boss, which were stored under the name Bossthe last time the boss came for a cookout.

The scenario begins with the user clicking the Select from Favoriteslink in the Grilling item workspace 116 (FIG. 17).

The My Favorites window opens, as illustrated in FIG. 18. This window iscomprised of a list of Cookouts that have been previously stored by theuser, as well as individual grilling items that have been stored bytheir Names & Preferences. Tabular controls allow the user to navigatebetween these lists easily. A line of instruction is also provided.

The list of cookouts can be sorted alphabetically, or by date as shown.The user can also expand an item in the list to view the detail of thedesired cookout by clicking the detail arrow, as shown in FIG. 19.

The user can add the grilling items from the selected stored cookout tothe new grilling list simply by placing a check in the appropriatecheckbox and then clicking the Add to Grilling List button. The updatedgrilling list with the items from the Favorite Family Steaks cookoutadded is shown in FIG. 20.

The user can make any desired modifications to an item on the grillinglist simply by selecting it, making the modifications and then updatingthe grilling list as described earlier.

As this scenario continues, the user will again click the Select fromFavorites link in the Grilling item workspace 116 and then click theNames & Preferences tab, as illustrated in FIG. 21.

The list of stored items is presented, in alphabetical order. The usercan expand an item in the list to view the detail of the desired item byclicking the detail arrow, as shown in FIG. 22.

The user can add the selected stored grilling item to the new grillinglist simply by placing a check in the appropriate checkbox and thenclicking the Add to Grilling List button. The updated grilling list withthe steak for the Boss added is shown in FIG. 23.

It should be noted that if the user opts to store incomplete informationfor a grilling item (for example the cut of meat and doneness arestored, but the thickness is omitted), the system will automaticallyprompt for the needed information when the items is added to theGrilling list, as discussed previously.

The Stored Favorites functionality allows the user to rapidly creategrilling lists and grilling timelines, with minimal effort. And asdiscussed previously, the user can add optional cookout information,store the new cookout in progress and add the new cookout to their listof favorites. If the cookout lacks any required information, the userwill be prompted to provide the necessary information using the methodspreviously described.

In an alternative embodiment, the user also has the capability to storeall of the settings from a cookout, including settings for fire, grillprep time, etc. so that the cookout can be easily replicated in itsentirety.

Unique User Experience Features

Unlike more directed or wizard-like user experiences, this system isdesigned to adapt to the needs of the user in real time, and in theirown context. While an overall workflow is inferred by the visualordering of elements and the context-sensitive instructions, the userhas the freedom to streamline the process of creating their grillinglist using the variety of data entry techniques and features describedherein. The system automatically prompts the user for any remainingrequired information.

The grilling timeline and cookout printout provide a series of timersand explicit instructions that help to ensure that the backyard chefwill consistently achieve the desired cookout results.

Screen Elements and Functionality

Individual screen elements and their functionality will now be discussedin greater detail, as illustrated in FIG. 24.

The Cookout name field 2404 is an optional text field that allows theuser to provide a name for the cookout, which will appear on the cookoutprintout and grill clock. If a cookout name is not provided, the systemwill substitute the term “Enjoy Your Cookout” in its place on thecookout printout. If the user attempts to store the cookout and no namehas been provided for the cookout, the user will be prompted to providea name for the cookout as part of the store cookout process. Similarly,if a cookout of that name already exists, the user will be prompted toeither replace the stored cookout or store this cookout with a uniquename.

The Cookout Time controls 2408 are comprised of 1) a calendar control,2) a time control and 3) indicators for whether the selected time anddate are the desired time to start the grill or eat. Use of thesecontrols is optional, however if they are not used, the Approx. Timecolumn of the Grilling Timeline will be blank (indicated by “——”). In analternative embodiment, the time control can default to Noon and theGrilling Timeline respond accordingly. The calendar control defaults toToday. If the user clicks the calendar icon, a popup calendar displaysto allow the select the desired date. The Time field allows the user toeither pick the desired time from a list or to enter the desired timemanually. The user then clicks the option that this is the desired timeto start the grill or to eat. If the user indicates that this is thetime to start the grill, the system will calculate the approximatedinner time, as reflected in the Approx. Time column of the GrillingTimeline. If the user indicates that this is the time to eat, the systemwill calculate the approximate time to start the grill, as reflected inthe Approx. Time column of the Grilling Timeline.

The Weather controls 2412 are comprised of 1) a temperature field, 2) aZIP Code entry field and a Submit button. The Weather controls canintegrate with a third-party weather data source. The user enters theirlocation (ZIP Code) and clicks the submit button. The system capturesthe cookout date and time collected by the Cookout Time controls 2408and requests the correct temperature (Grill Time Temp) from thethird-party weather data provider. Similarly, if the user's location hasbeen previously stored by the system, the system will retrieve the GrillTime Temp automatically when the Cookout Time information is provided.If data from a third-party weather provider is unavailable, the useralso can input or override the Grill Time Temp manually.

The Grill Info controls 2416 are comprised of 1) a grill type list andwhether the cooking will be done covered or uncovered, 2) a fire listthat provides options for both cooking method and fire temperature and3) an optional list of the approximate time to allow for grillpreparation. For occasional users of the system the Grill Type list islimited to either generic charcoal or gas grill, which will also bereflected in the Grill Display control 2420 (to be discussed shortly).For frequent users, the system will store the type (charcoal or gas),make and model, as well as shape and dimensions for multiple grillswhich can be selected from this list. These will also be reflected inthe Grill Display control 2420 as they are selected from the list.Occasional users are required to indicate whether the cookout will becooked with the grill covered or uncovered, while frequent users willhave the option to store either of these as their default settings. Thefire list provides a selection of the most common cooking methods andfire temperatures, such as direct-medium, direct-high and direct-low.

Occasional users have the option to include grill preparation time(Grill Prep) in the Grilling Timeline calculation, including that theyare ready to grill. Frequent users also have this capability, along withthe option to store the desired preparation time for multiple grills.

The Grill display/control 2420 is comprised of 1) a to-scale graphicdepiction of the user's grill, 2) to-scale graphic depictions of theitems to be grilled and 3) callouts which provide details of each itemto be grilled. As items are added to the grilling list, the user maydrag and drop them to the desired grilling location.

As discussed previously, the Grill display/control 2420 also reflectsthe details for each grilling item, including a name/description if onehas been provided, thickness, cut of meat, desired doneness includingcenter-of-meat temperature and any needed information. The user can alsoclick an item in the Grill display/control 2420 to edit the item orremove the item from the Grilling List.

As has been discussed previously, the system continually monitors thestatus of the user and provides the appropriate instructions, warningsand recommendation on the Context-sensitive status line 108.

The components of the Grilling item workspace 116 will be discussedhere. This workspace is comprised of the 1) Let's Grill menu 2424, 2)Select from Favorites link 2428, 3) Grill list entry controls 2432 and4) Grill list entry buttons 2436.

The Let's Grill menu 2424 includes categories of commonly grilled foodssuch as beef, pork, chicken, etc. and drives the dynamic generation ofthe Grill list entry controls 2432. As shown in this example, selecting“beef” from this menu causes the system to dynamically build theappropriate selection parameters such as cuts of meat, thickness anddesired doneness.

The Select from Favorites link 2428 allows users to quickly addindividual items as well as complete cookouts to the grilling list aswas discussed previously.

The fields in the Grill list entry controls 2432 are described asfollows. Qty is an entry field for the number of the items to beentered. Cut of Meat is a menu of, in this example, most commonlygrilled types of beef. This menu includes the option “Other,” which ifselected provides a more extensive list of cuts of beef. The Thicknessmenu provides options from 0.5″ to 2.0″ in reasonable increments, aswell as the option for multiple quantities of the same cut of meat toindicate that the thickness is varied. If an item has been added to thegrilling list previously, but the thickness was either not selected orwas varied, the system indicates that the thickness for this grillingitem is needed. The Doneness menu provides reasonable options, such asfrom “Very Rare” to “Very Well Done,” including incremental options for“Rare,” “Med Rare,” “Medium,” “Med Well,” “Well Done,” etc. as well asthe option for multiple quantities of the same cut of meat to indicatethat the desired doneness is varied. If an item has been added to thegrilling list previously, but the doneness was either not selected orwas varied, the system indicates that the doneness for this grillingitem is needed. Also, as discussed previously, if there are specialconsiderations for doneness, such as the USDA of a minimum cookingtemperature of 160° F. (Medium) for ground meat such as hamburger, thesystem will automatically 1) alter the Doneness menu list of options toMedium or greater, 2) display a warning in the Grilling item workspace116 and 3) require the user to override the warning, acknowledging thatthey desire a doneness other than that recommended by the USDA. TheName/Description field is an optional field that allows the user to adda name or description to the selected grilling item. Thisname/description appears 1) in the Grill display/control 2420, 2) Grilllist detail 2440, 3) as the descriptor for the item if stored inFavorites, 4) on the Grilling timeline instructions 204 and 5) on thecookout printout (FIG. 3). The Preferences/Notes field is an optionalfield that allows the user to add additional information for theselected grilling item. These preferences/notes appear 1) in the Grilllist detail 2440, 2) with the item if stored in Favorites, 3) and on thecookout printout (FIG. 3). The Store checkbox allows the user to storethe selected grilling item in Favorites. If the Store checkbox ischecked, the user is prompted for the specific information that is to bestored when the Add to List/Update List button is clicked.

The Grill list entry buttons 2436 operate dynamically, based on thecontext of the activities of the user. If the function indicated by thebutton is unavailable in the context of the user's activity, the buttonis displayed in gray. Similarly the name of certain buttons will change,based on context. The Reset button is gray when all fields in the Grilllist entry controls 2432 are blank. If any of these fields have beenused (i.e. data entered or menu options selected), clicking the Resetbutton will clear all information in the Grill list entry controls 2432,and the button reverts to its gray state. The Add to List has twostates. If the item in the Grill list entry controls 2432 is new, thebutton is titled Add to List. If the item in the Grill list entrycontrols 2432 has been selected from either the Grilling list 120 or theGrill display/control 2420, the button changes to Update List, and theRemove button changes from its gray state (unavailable) to active toallow the user to remove the selected item from the grilling list.

The Grill list detail 2440 provides 1) a scrollable listing of all itemsto be grilled and 2) a method for selecting a specific grilling item tobe retrieved into the Grilling item workspace 116 where it can becompleted, modified or removed from the grilling list. If an item isselected, it is highlighted in the grilling list. Similarly, visualfeedback (mouseover highlighting) is provided to the user as the cursorrolls over items in the list. The Grill list detail 2440 reflects thedetails for each grilling item, including the quantity, cut of meat,thickness, desired doneness, name/description and preferences/notes ifthey have been provided and also indicates any needed information.

The Grill list buttons 2444 operate dynamically, based on the context ofthe activities of the user. Again, buttons for unavailable functionsdisplay in gray. The Clear List button is available only when there areitems in the grilling list, and when selected, clears the entire list.The Save List in Progress button allows the user to build an incompletegrilling list and save it to be completed at a later time. The Storethis Cookout in Favorites checkbox allows the user to store the entirecookout in Favorites. If the cookout has not been assigned a name in theCookout name field 2404, the user will be prompted to do so. The CreateTimeline button is activated when the grilling list contains at leastone item to be grilled. Otherwise the Create Timeline button (as well asthe Grilling Timeline Tab controls 112) are displayed in gray toindicate that these functions are unavailable.

As noted previously, when the user clicks the Create Timeline button thesystem calculates the grilling timeline and automatically activates theTab controls 112, switching the user to the Grilling timeline 204, thedetails of which will now be discussed as illustrated in FIG. 25.

The Context-sensitive status line 108 adapts to the fact the user is nowin the grilling timeline mode, displaying instructions on how to makemodifications to the cookout information and to continue with thegrilling timeline features (printing the cookout, etc.). The SelectTimers link 2504 directs the user to a function which allows the user toselect the desired timers and control their presentation in the grillingtimeline. The Recalculate button 2508 allows the user to make anydesired modifications to the cookout time, weather, or grill informationand then recalculate the grilling timeline.

The Grilling timeline columns 2512 are comprised of a series of timersand events (instructions) generated by the system that include but arenot limited to the 1) Approximate Time timer, 2) Elapsed Grilling Timetimer, Event (grilling instructions), 3) Countdown to Next Event timerand 3) Grilling Time Remaining timer.

The Approximate Time timer displays time-of-day data only if the userhas selected a cookout time using the Cookout Time controls 2408. If thecookout time is based on the time that the user will start the grill,this timer will provide the user with the approximate time that allitems will be taken off of the grill. If the cookout time is based onthe time to eat, this timer will provide the user with the approximatetime to start the grill (if grill preparation time has been indicated)and to start grilling in order to serve the grilled items at the desiredtime.

The Elapsed Grilling Time timer displays the specific times at whichevents should occur along a timeline that commences when the user startsgrilling. When used with the cookout printout, this timer allows theuser to utilize any conventional timer (stop watch) to achieve thedesired grilling results. The system calculates this timeline using thecookout calculator algorithm to be discussed shortly.

The system dynamically generates explicit instructions for the cookoutevents, and displays them in the Event column of the Grilling Timeline.If grill preparation time has been provided by the user, the firstinstruction will be to “Start the grill.” If the user has provided aName/Description for an item to be grilled, that name will be includedin each line of instruction, followed by details of the grilling item.If the user has not provided a Name/Description for an item to begrilled, the systems will assign a name to the item based on the cut ofmeat and its system assigned number, if the grilling list containsmultiple items of the same cut of meat, along with details of thegrilling item.

With the Countdown to Next Event timer, the system calculates anddisplays the time between events on the grilling list, allowing the userto efficiently perform other tasks, if desired or needed.

The Grilling Time Remaining timer is the inverse of the Elapsed GrillingTime timer. The Grilling Time Remaining timer displays the specifictimes at which events should occur along a timeline that counts downfrom the time the user starts grilling to the time that all items are tobe removed from the grill. When used with the cookout printout, thistimer allows the user to utilize any countdown timer to achieve thedesired grilling results. It also provides a handy way for the user toeasily know when, during the grilling timeline, meal time is a specificnumber of minutes away.

The system segments the Grilling Timeline into specific grilling events(see Grilling Event 2516). Each event contains the instructions for thegrilling items to be put on the grill, turned, etc. during that event.

The Grilling Timeline buttons 2520 allow the user to 1) store the entiregrilling list for the cookout in their Favorites and 2) to create adocument from which the user can then print the cookout, respectively.

Inline Updates to Features and Functionality

As the system evolves, it must provide the flexibility to accommodateseamless updates to features and functionality. For example, duringearly testing of the cookout calculator it was realized that while somerecipes recommend allowing grilling items such as steaks and pork chopsto stand at room temperature for 20-30 minutes prior to grilling, thereare also circumstances in which these items will go directly from therefrigerator to the grill.

Conversely, it is widely recommended that ground meats, such ashamburger, as well as chicken be refrigerated up until grilling time.

To address these needs, the Fridge Factor menu 2604, as illustrated inFIG. 26, is dynamically invoked when the user selects any cut for whichallowing it to come to room temperature is recommended. If the userselects to allow the grilling item(s) to stand at room temperature forany of the optional times (i.e. 20 or 30 minutes), an event remindingthe user to remove the items from the refrigerator at the appropriatetime is added to the Grilling Timeline (similar to the reminder to startthe grill, if the Prep time option has been selected).

If the user indicates that the grilling item(s) will go directly fromthe refrigerator to the grill, an appropriate Fridge Factor adjustmentto the grilling time calculation will be made (to be discussed in detailbelow).

Cookout Calculation Algorithm

A cornerstone of the invention is the cookout calculation algorithm.This process uses a baseline approach from which a multitude of factorsare then applied to calculate both the grilling time per side, as wellas the total grilling time for each item on the grilling list.

This process is initiated when the user 1) clicks the Create Timelinebutton on the What's Grilling tab, 2) clicks the Grilling Timeline tabor 3) clicks the Recalculate button on the Grilling Timeline tab, or inthe alternative embodiment discussed previously, automatically when theuser makes a change that triggers the recalculation feature.

The grilling time calculation for each item on the grilling list isaffected by 1) the characteristics of the item to be grilled, 2) aspectsof the grill and 3) grilling conditions, such as the outside temperatureat grill time.

The Nine Step Process

Step 1. Calculate Per Side Grilling Times—The grilling time per side foreach item on the grilling list is calculated, taking into account thevarious grilling time factors which will be discussed in detail below.

Step 2. Calculate Total Grilling Times—The grilling time per side foreach grill item is multiplied by 2 to calculate the total grilling timefor each item.

Step 3 Round the Per Side and Total Grilling Times—The per side andtotal grilling times are rounded to the nearest logical timingincrement, for example 30 seconds, to streamline the grilling processand reduce the number of times the lid will be removed.

Step 4. Convert Grilling Times to hh:mm:ss—The per side and totalgrilling times are converted from the decimal form to their respectivehours:minutes:seconds format.

Step 5. Convert Grilling Times into Events—The total grilling times andper side times are designated as the “Put on” and “Turn” times,respectively.

Step 6. Convert Planning Assumptions into Events—Planning assumptions,such as the number of minutes to allow for grill preparation, time toallow meats to stand at room temperature before grilling and whether touse the designated cookout time as the time to either start the grill oreat are calculated and converted into their respective events.

Step 7. Consolidate and Display Timeline Events—Events that occursimultaneously are consolidated into single events and the results aredisplayed in the respective grilling timeline columns, as previouslydiscussed.

Step 8. Recalculate (optional or automatic)—If necessary, any lastminute adjustments to any facet of the cookout can be made by the user,and the cookout can then be adjusted accordingly by clicking theRecalculate button. Or automatically by the system in the alternativeembodiment of this feature.

Step 9. Output Cookout to Printer—The user can then create a version ofthe cookout on which the user can finalize the arrangement of items onthe grill and then print the cookout, allowing the user to then followthe grilling instructions to achieve the desired grilling results.

Baseline Factor Approach

Through the review of numerous grilling books, documentation fromleading grill manufacturers and meat processors (as well as our owngrilling experience and testing) it has been determined that for varioustypes of meats of varying thicknesses that can be grilled to desired orrecommended levels of doneness over a direct fire—such as steaks,hamburgers, pork chops, boneless chicken breasts, etc.—there arerecommended ranges of grilling times. For example a typical steak (NYstrip), 1″ thick, that has been allowed to stand at room temperature for20-30 minutes prior to grilling on a covered, charcoal grill over adirect-medium fire (350° F.-375° F. or four second hand count) when theoutside temperature is greater than 65° F. will consistently achieve adoneness of “Medium” (160° F.) with a total grilling time of 10 minutes,5 minutes per side.

FIG. 27 illustrates how these factors equate to the following baselinecalculations: Grilling Time Per Side Calculation (GTPS) - Baseline GTPS= DGT × CT × TK × DD × FF × GT × CV × GC × FT × OT 5 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1Grilling Time Per Side (GTPS)=5 minutes (to display as 00:05:00)Calculation: 5×1×1×1×1×1×1×1×1×1=5Total Grilling Time (TGT)—BaselineThe total grilling time (TGT) is the grilling time per side (GTPS),times two.TGT=GTPS×2Total Grilling Time (TGT)=10 minutes (to display as 00:10:00)Calculation: 5×2=10

Adjusting each factor increases or decreases the grilling time per side(GTPS) as well as the total grilling time (TGT). Each of these factorscan be adjusted, based on a number of criteria, so that the system canaccurately approximate grilling times for various types of meat andcuts, grilled to a variety of desired doneness with different types ofgrills and under varying grilling conditions.

Doneness Factor Example

For example, if the desired doneness for the above steak is modified to“Medium Rare” (145° F.), setting the Desired Doneness factor (DD) to 0.9will result in the grilling time per side (GTPS) being reduced byapproximately 30 seconds per side as follows: Grilling Time Per SideCalculation (GTPS) - Desired Doneness Medium Rare GTPS = DGT × CT × TK ×DD × FF × GT × CV × GC × FT × OT 5 1 1 0.9 1 1 1 1 1 1Grilling Time Per Side (GTPS)=4.5 minutes (to display as 00:04:30)Calculation: 5×1×1×0.9×1×1×1×1×1×1=4.5Total Grilling Time (TGT)—Desired Doneness Medium RareTGT=GTPS×2Total Grilling Time (TGT)=9 minutes (to display as 00:09:00)Calculation: 4.5×2=9Additional Thickness Adjustment Example

If, in addition to the adjustments to this grilling item made above, thethickness is increased to 1¼″, setting the Thickness factor (TK) to 1.3will result in the grilling time per side (GTPS) being increased byapproximately 1 minute 30 seconds per side as follows: Grilling Time PerSide Calculation (GTPS) - Medium Rare, Thickness 1¼″ GTPS = DGT × CT ×TK × DD × FF × GT × CV × GC × FT × OT 5 1 1.3 0.9 1 1 1 1 1 1Grilling Time Per Side (GTPS)=5.85 minutes (to display as 00:06:00 withrounding)Calculation: 5×1×1.3×0.9×1×1×1×1×1×1=5.85Total Grilling Time (TGT)—Medium Rare, Thickness 1¼″TGT=GTPS×2Total Grilling Time (TGT)=11.7 minutes (to display as 00:12:00 withrounding)Calculation: 4.5×2=11.7General Discussion of Grilling Timeline Factors

In general, the grilling timeline factors fall into four categories: 1)the characteristics of the item to be grilled, 2) aspects of the grill,3) grilling conditions and 4) the capability for the griller to makeadjustments. Each factor is calibrated to incrementally adjust thegrilling timeline in the context of what the specific factor is takinginto account. For example, the range of variation for different cuts ofmeats may range from 0.9 for Boneless Chicken Breast to 1.2 for FlankSteak, whereas the range of variation for different thicknesses of meatsmay range from 0.6 for ½″ thick to 1.8 for 2″ thick.

Similarly, factors such as the outside temperature, whether the grill ischarcoal or gas, calibrating the grill for the desired grillingtemperature and whether the grill will be covered or uncovered mayaffect the cookout as a whole. In addition, certain factors may havemore than one dimension of affect. For example, a grilling item thatgoes directly from the refrigerator to the grill (rather than beingallowed to stand at 20-30 minutes prior to grilling) may be affected byboth the cut and the thickness in order to be effectively brought togrilling temperature.

These incremental ranges of adjustment are based on and influenced bythe grilling guidelines provided by leading cookbooks and publishedrecipes, physics (such as differences between cooking with charcoal orgas), safety issues such as the USDA recommendations for certain typesand cuts of meat, testing and best practices (such as allowing chops andsteaks to stand at room temperature prior to grilling).

FIG. 28 illustrates how the database table settings affect variousgrilling factor values.

Discussion of Each Grilling Timeline Factor

Default Grilling Time Per Side Factor (DGT)

The default grilling time per side provides the baseline for grillingtimeline calculations. The current default for the system is 5 minutes,although this factor may be modified programmatically, as required.

Cut of Meat Factor (CT)

The cut of meat factor allows the system to take into account suchthings as the relative density of the item being grilled and variationsamong similar cuts. It also acts as a trigger for the presentation ofthe Fridge Factor if the selected item is a steak or pork chop (to bediscussed in detail under Fridge Factor).

As discussed previously, the default cut factor for a NY strip steakis 1. This factor may be adjusted downward (for example 0.9) to meet therecommended grilling times for cuts of meat such as boneless chickenbreasts and boneless pork chops, and for cuts of beef such as rib-eyesteaks and filet mignon which are more tender. Conversely, the cutfactor may be increased (for example 1.1 to 1.2) to accommodate theincreased grilling time required for more muscular (and generallytougher) cuts of meat such as sirloin and flank steak.

The cut factor may also be used to take into account slight differences,such as between bone-in and boneless pork chops. Another example wouldbe the probable preferences related to NY strip, filet mignon,Porterhouse and T-bone steaks. Both the Porterhouse and the T-bonesteaks are comprised of a NY strip on one side of the bone, and filetmignon on the other. Since the filet mignon is a tenderer cut, it mayhave a cut factor of 0.9, where the NY strip has a cut factor of 1. Theprimary difference between the Porterhouse and NY strip steak is that onthe Porterhouse, the filet mignon side is considerably larger than on aT-bone, and could in fact be the entree if the steak is being shared bytwo people. By comparison, on the T-bone steak the filet mignon portionusually amounts to little more than a few tender and flavorful bitesworth, not a meal-size portion. Therefore, the cut factor for thePorterhouse may be set by the system to favor the filet mignon side ofthe steak, while the cut factor for the T-bone may be set by the system(kept at the default setting) to favor the NY Strip side of the bone.

Thickness Factor (TK)

The thickness factor allows the system to take into account a range ofthicknesses of meat, for example from ½″ to 2″ by employing a range offactors from 0.6 to 1.8, respectively. Special factors for specific cutsof meat, for example ¼″ chicken breasts, may be employed as well.

In instances where the inherent characteristics of the cut of meat maylimit the thickness, such as is the case with flank, skirt steak andboneless chicken breast where the maximum thickness is 1″ or less, thesystem will restrict the menu options to the logical thicknesses.

Desired Doneness Factor (DD)

The desired doneness factors, which range from 0.6 to 1.4, are based onthe recommendations of industry leaders and bodies such as the USDA asfollow:

Very Rare (130° F.)

Rare (140° F.)

Medium Rare (145° F.)

Medium (160° F.)

Medium Well (165° F.)

Well Done (170° F.)

Very Well Done (180° F.)

As discussed previously, in instances where the inherent characteristicsof the cut of meat may limit the desired or recommended doneness, suchas is the case with chicken, pork and ground meats such as hamburger,the system will recommend best practices and restrict the menu optionsfor doneness, where appropriate.

Fridge Factor (FF)

The Fridge Factor calculates the amount of time to be added to thegrilling time per side to bring the specified cut of meat up to grillingtemperature, in cases where the meat has been placed on the grilldirectly from the refrigerator (and not allowed to stand at roomtemperature). In cases where the thickness of the cut will also need tobe taken into consideration, an additional adjustment will also be made.

Grill Type Factor (GT)

There are inherently different characteristics between the fire on acharcoal grill and a gas grill. For example, charcoal provides dryradiant heat whereas a by-product when propane or natural gas is burnedis water. Therefore it is necessary to make a relative adjustment to thegrilling time to account for these differences.

Grill Covered Factor (CV)

While it is generally recommended that the grill be covered duringgrilling to consistently attain the desired results (hence a defaultvalue of 1), the system will also provide the ability to calculate thegrilling timeline for an uncovered grill, within a reasonable range ofgrilling conditions, such an outside grill time temperature >70° F.,assurance of a minimum direct-medium fire, etc. In cases where theseconditions are true, a reasonable grill uncovered factor (i.e. 1.2-1.3)will be applied that is consistent with industry recommendations forgrilling times. In instances, such as a low grill time temperature orwhere items on the grilling list may require special care, the systemwill warn that the grilling timeline may not be suitable for thiscookout.

Grill Calibration Factor (GC)

The grill calibration factor allows the user to calibrate the system totheir specific grill or grills. If, for example a gas grill user's grillsetting for a direct-medium fire is consistently higher or lower thanthe user expects, the user can adjust this setting to “fine tune” thesystem to their grill.

Fire Factor (FT)

While the recommended fire temperature for the grilling of mostsupported grilling items is direct-medium (350° F.-375° F. or foursecond hand count), some recipes call for grilling over a direct-highfire (400° F. to 450° F.-2 second hand count). Similarly, it's notuncommon for the user of a charcoal grill to experience an occasionalunderperforming fire (300° F. to 325° F.-5 second hand count). The firefactor allows the system to take this variance of fire temperature intoaccount and adjust grilling times accordingly.

Outside Temperature Factor (OT)

The outside temperature factor conditionally increases the grilling timefor the cookout based on the grill time temperature, if the grill timetemperature drops below 60° F. In instances when the outside temperatureis simply too low or where items on the grilling list may requirespecial care, the system will warn that the grilling timeline may not besuitable for this cookout.

Timeline and Timer Calculations

Timeline and timer calculations are derived as follows:

Grill Prep Time

A list of objects is sorted using the Time to completion (back time) todo a reverse sort. For example, Put on event of 7 minutes (totalgrilling time) and a turn event of 3.5 minutes (grilling time per side)will be:

“Put on X” 7

“Turn X” 3.5

The Grill prep time is added to the time for the first item in thesorted list.

For the timeline above, a Grill Prep Time of 20 minutes will calculateand display the following:

“Start Grill” (Grill Time Remaining) 00:27:00

“Put on X” (Grill Time Remaining) 00:07:00

“Turn X” (Grill Time Remaining) 00:03:30

Start the Grill/Eat Time

Start the Grill Option—If the user selects Grill time (for example 5:00PM) then the initial time is set to 5:00 PM and at each event the timeis added on and displays as:

“Start Grill” (Grill Time Remaining) 00:27:00 (Approx. Time) 5:00 PM

“Put on X” (Grill Time Remaining) 00:07:00 (Approx. Time) 5:20 PM

“Turn X” (Grill Time Remaining) 00:03:30 (Approx. Time) 5:23 PM

“Take Off” (Grill Time Remaining) 00:00:00 (Approx. Time) 5:27 PM

Eat Time Option—The calculation is exactly the same except the longestduration is subtracted from the time first. For example, 5:00-:27=4:33.The result displays as:

“Start Grill” (Grill Time Remaining) 00:27:00 (Approx. Time) 4:33 PM

“Put on X” (Grill Time Remaining) 00:07:00 (Approx. Time) 5:53 PM

“Turn X” (Grill Time Remaining) 00:03:30 (Approx. Time) 5:56 PM

“Take Off” (Grill Time Remaining) 00:00:00 (Approx. Time) 5:00 PM

Timers

Approx. Time—The Approx. Time displays only if the Grill Prep feature isselected, and it displays the approximate time in the context of theoption selected (i.e. based on the time to start the grill or eat).Otherwise the Approx. Time column displays as “——.” If the alternativeembodiment of defaulting to Noon is employed, the calculations will bebased on Noon, unless the user modifies the cookout time settings.

Elapsed Time—This is defined as: (timeElapsed +=fLastIntervalToNext)This translates to: timeElapsed is set to 0 when the first item goes onthe grill. Then with each iteration through the sorted array of events,the interval between items is stored. In the example from above, thereare 3.5 minutes between put on time and turn time) which calculates asfollows:

“Start Grill” 27 timeElapsed=0 fLastIntervalToNext=20

“Put on X” 7 timeElapsed=0 fLastIntervalToNext=3.5

“Turn X” 3.5 timeElapsed=3.5 fLastIntervalToNext=3.5

“Take Off” 0 timeElapsed=7 fLastIntervalToNext=0

Countdown to Next Event—The Countdown to Next Event is simply thedifference between the current back time, minus the next events backtime. From the example above, Start Grill=20 and Put on X=7, so thecountdown to next event=27-20=20 and displays as follows:

“Start Grill” (Grill Time Remaining) 00:27:00 (Next Event) 00:20:00

“Put on X” (Grill Time Remaining) 00:07:00 (Next Event) 03:30:00

“Turn X” (Grill Time Remaining) 00:03:30 (Next Event) 03:30:00

“Take Off” (Grill Time Remaining) 00:00:00 (Next Event) 00:00:00

Grill Time Remaining—The Grill Time Remaining is simply the currentitems back time for each event, displayed in hh:mm:ss format as follows:

“Start Grill”(Grill Time Remaining) 00:27:00

“Put on X” (Grill Time Remaining) 00:07:00

“Turn X” (Grill Time Remaining) 00:03:30

“Take Off” (Grill Time Remaining) 00:00:00

System Design/Development

The system, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, is designedto be developed using standard technologies and development tools. Forexample, the user experience can be created using widely known andsupported technologies such as dynamic html, scripting such asjavascript and Flash. The calculations used for the cookout calculator,along with supporting computer logic can be developed using aprogramming language such as C# and dynamically generated and presentedto the user via .NET Framework. The grilling timeline factors and memberpreferences, etc. can leverage standard database methodologies.

In addition, the system is designed so that additional factors can beincorporated into the system as needed, and the system can also befine-tuned for specific applications. For example, an industrial versionof the invention can be created that is adjusted specifically for thehigher temperatures used in commercial kitchens. Similar adjustments canbe made to allow for more precise turning times, total cooking times andto optimize various factors to maximize the system to the specific needsof the commercial cooking environment.

Having thus described the invention, the same will become betterunderstood from the Appended Claims in it is set forth in a non-limitingmanner.

1. A method of calculating grilling times and parameters for specificitems to be cooked on a grill, comprising: presenting a user an inputscreen and means for inputting grilling planning assumptions; inputtinginformation about items to be grilled, including at least defaultgrilling times, doneness factor, thickness factor, cut of meat factorand refrigerator factor as normalized values; calculating a grillingtimeline by inputting said information as normalized values into asumming function to result in a calculated grilling time per side value;and outputting said calculated grilling time per side value to the user.2. The method of claim 1, wherein said information further comprises agrill type factor, +grill covered factor, grill calibration factor, firefactor and outside temperature factor.
 3. The method of claim 1, whereinsaid running function further adds a grill preparation time to saidresulting calculated grilling time per side value.
 4. The method ofclaim 1, wherein said input screen is located at a user device, and saidinformation is transmitted to a central processor wherein said grillingtime is determined, with the calculated grilling times per side valuebeing transmitted back to the user input screen.
 5. The method of claim4, wherein said grilling time per side transmitted to the user furthercomprises transmitting a grilling timeline in a countdown mode whereinevent times are indicated at specific intervals for the user to takespecific action when conducting grilling.
 6. The method of claim 1,wherein said cut of meat factor is indicative of different types of meatincluding at least pork, beef, fish and fowl.
 7. The method of claim 1,wherein said input of grilling planning assumptions is conducted at apersonal device connected to a server, and wherein said servercalculates the grilling timeline from information received from thepersonal device.
 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the personal devicein a personal computer and the connection to the server is at least oneof through a wired network and window.
 9. The method of claim 7, whereinthe personal device is a PDA.
 10. The method of claim 7, wherein thepersonal device is a cellular telephone programmed to input saidassumptions and to receive the grilling timeline.
 11. A system forcalculating grilling times and parameters for specific items to becooked on a grill comprising: a user input screen for allowing a user toinput grilling planning assumptions through said screen; input means forinputting through said screen information about items to be grilled,including at least default grilling time, doneness factor, thicknessfactor, cut of meat factor and refrigerator factor as normalized values;processing means programmed for having said information input theretoand for calculating a grilling timeline from said information asnormalized values through a summing function to result in a calculatedgrilling time per side value; and means for providing an output to auser indicative of a calculated grilling time per side value.
 12. Thesystem of claim 11, wherein said input means is configured for inputtingand said processing means is programmed for calculating said grillingtimeline based on said information, and said information furthercomprising a grill type factor, grill covered factor, grill calibrationfactor, fire factor and outside temperature factor.
 13. The system ofclaim 11, wherein said input screen is located at a user device, andsaid user device is connected for having said information transmitted toa central processor wherein said grilling timeline is determined, andfor having the calculated grilling time per side value transmitted backto the user input screen.
 14. The system of claim 11, wherein saidsumming function further adds a grill preparation time to said resultingcalculated grilling time per side value.
 15. The system of claim 13,wherein said processing means is further programmed for transmittingback to the user a grilling timeline in a countdown mode wherein eventtimes are indicated at specific intervals for the user to take specificaction when conducting grilling.
 16. The system of claim 11, furtherprogrammed for processing said cut of meat factor as indicative ofdifferent types of meat including at least one of pork, beef, fish andfowl.
 17. The system of claim 11, wherein said user input screen andinput means are part of a personal device connected to a server, forhaving said server calculate the grilling times from informationreceived from the personal device.
 18. The system of claim 17, whereinthe personal device is a personal computer and the connection to theserver is at least one of through a wired connection and wireless. 19.The system of claim 17, wherein the personal device is a PDA.
 20. Thesystem of claim 17, wherein the personal device is a cellular telephoneprogrammed to input said assumptions and to receive the grillingtimeline.